


An Unexpected Turn of Events

by timjelly



Category: The Hobbit (2012), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: F/M, Romance, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-04-13
Updated: 2013-04-15
Packaged: 2017-12-08 09:35:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/759865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/timjelly/pseuds/timjelly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After fleeing in hopes of forgetting Lucas and all the pain he had brought into her life Adelaide never expected to wind up in Middle Earth. Through a chance encounter Addy quickly finds herself on a journey to reclaim the Lonely Mountain from the vicious dragon Smaug. Will she ever find out why she was brought to this strange land?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

She was lost and she knew it. Running into the forest was quickly proving to have been a terrible mistake. But she could not stop, not now. Adelaide knew full well that if Lucas managed to catch up to her this time it would be the end. Hoping to throw him off her track she took a sudden turn which, much to her surprise and anguish led to a cliff. She was trapped now. It was either fight for her life or jump to her death. Adelaide slowly turned around knowing what was to greet her. How on earth had he found her this time? She had gone through so much trouble to make sure there was no way he could follow her to New Zealand; it's literally across the world. She had changed her name, got a new passport, license, AND social security card. It had almost been impossible but she managed somehow. Addy had to give it to him, the man had determination.

"You've always known I love a good chase, too bad this is to be our last." He gloated while stepping closer to her.

Desperate for any way to escape Adelaide looked around frantically only to find there was nothing she could do; she then decided to play with him a little, if he was to kill her she wasn't going to make it easy for him.

"You are such a sick fuck you know that." She spat at him.

He slowly lifted his hand to his heart with a pained expression on his face.

"You know Addy that really hurts, I thought you would be a bit miffed by our last encounter but there is no need for such caustic words my dear."

"Don't you dare call me that!" She screamed at him. She was beginning to shake with rage. "The second you laid your hands on me I stopped being 'your dear' you dick."

"You were always overtly dramatic Addy," he sighed. "You cannot keep blaming me for these ideas you've concocted in your head."

She was going to rip his face off.

"IDEAS?! You have to be joking! You stabbed me and left me for dead! You killed my only friend! Please explain to me how I am being overly dramatic." The pain was so fresh she could still feel the cold steel slicing through her skin. Seeing him was like being stabbed all over again, sadly she knew that was probably how this encounter would end.

"Oh Addy that was all just a big misunderstanding; I truly hope you don't harbor any bad feelings towards me for that whole mess of a situation." He cooed.

"You can't even imagine what type of feelings I harbor towards you Lucas." She growled in response.

"Oh well, I guess that's understandable given the circumstances. But we shall not let that ruin our evening." Lucas said as he reached into his jacket pocket for something she could not see. Instead of the bowie-knife she was expecting he pulled out a hand gun complete with a suppressor. He was going to shoot her. He was going to shoot her and leave her in the woods where no one would ever find her. She always felt like she had been living on borrowed time. The doctors had said it was miraculous that she managed to live after the stabbing. After having escaped the first time Addy knew her life would be a constant game of cat and mouse. And here it would all come to an end.

She made a vow then that she would not beg. Memories of the countless times she had begged Lucas to stop hurting her in any which way began to run through her mind. These pathetic moments of her past made her angrier than anything. It was her fault she had been stabbed and that Laura had died. She could have stopped his beatings at any moment, but the pain of him leaving was far worse compared to the pain she had to endure being with him. She had been a weak person then, but not now. Now she would fight back, even if she was to die she would pass knowing she did what she could to escape.

He began inching closer to her. Adelaide stood her ground and stared directly into his eyes. She could see the surprise on his face; usually she would cower into a defensive position in hopes of making whatever was to come a little less painful. Not tonight. He was close enough to touch her now. He cautiously extended his hand towards her to stroke her cheek like he had done countless times before. In that moment Addy remembered what it felt like to be loved. He had been her first and only. However, It didn't take long for the monster that consumed his soul to appear.They had been together for four years. The first being pure bliss the last three being utter hell.

For Lucas, seeing Adelaide tonight had brought back emotions he had not been anticipating. He truly did love her, but his compulsion to make her feel pain was far greater, it always won.

He pressed himself against her body and began stroking her hair. Whispering into her ear he said "Before this happens I just felt that I should let you know that out of all the women I have ever been with, it was you I loved the most, and that is precisely why I must kill you. If I cannot have you then no one ever will." He purred.

With that Lucas pressed the gun into the crook of her neck while leaning in for one last kiss. Adelaide welcomed it knowing the act would buy her some time at least. During the kiss Addy slowly reached down the length of her thigh for the dagger she kept sheathed there, quickly thanking God that she had worn a dress on that particular evening. Thankfully Lucas was deep into the kiss and hadn't felt a thing. Conscious not to waste time she hurriedly brought the knife up to his heart. With his eyes still closed she dug it in as quickly and as deeply as possible. In shock from the pain Lucas ended the kiss and struck Addy across the face, causing the pair to stagger away from the ledge. Addy scrambled for any footing she could find but to her dismay Lucas was upon her in mere seconds. He grasped her by her throat and threw her against a nearby tree. She must have broken a rib or two since a searing pain shot through her midsection just then. Lucas bent down to envelope his hands around her neck once more and began squeezing the life out of her. In defense she grasped the knife protruding from his chest and twisted with all the strength she could muster. Lucas screamed out in agony but did not cease, he merely squeezed harder. She could feel the lack of oxygen affecting her, her vision began to blur and black dots appeared. In the back of her mind she was happy things had come to this. For over two years now she wandered from place to place, settling down when she felt it was safe enough only to be found yet again. Time after time she had narrowly escaped. But not tonight, not this time. She could almost feel the freedom of it all, to be free of Lucas would be a freedom like no other. In that moment she knew she wanted to live.

Praying for any sort of respite Addy hastily removed the knife from the original wound and embedded it even deeper into his stomach. Lucas had not anticipated this and dropped her suddenly. Addy had been expecting this however and clumsily landed on her feet; after a moment of catching her breath she ran. Somehow Lucas had managed to crawl his way back to his gun. He recklessly began firing off rounds hoping one of the bullets would eventually find his intended target. Addy cried out when an agonizing pain hit her in the arm, but she did not stop, not this time. Addy continued to run until she ran into what felt like a tree. She couldn't ascertain if the culprit was shock, exhaustion, or blood loss but she fainted all the same.


	2. An Unexpected Encounter

Addy felt pain. That was proof enough that she was indeed still alive. Her whole body was throbbing in protest of her actions the night before. Relenting to open her eyes she rolled over secretly hoping that someone had found her out in the woods and that now she was in a hospital bed on the mend. Knowing that not to be the case she decided it was time to wake up and find her way to safety. Slowly blinking away the darkness that threatened to envelope her Addy began taking in her surroundings. It was daytime now and she wasn't alone. The pair seemed to be in a clearing of sorts. She was lying down with her head propped up on something hard while the stranger was sitting beside her. Upon further investigation she realized that he was sharpening some type of weapon which worried her. She turned her head to get a better look at the stranger, silently praying that it was not Lucas. Much to her delight it was not.

Upon first glance she could see that he was a thick man with long dark wavy hair. He was wearing layers of odd clothing that Addy had never seen the likes of before. The man had an air of elegance about him that brought the word royalty to mind. It was his stature that elicited a pang of sympathy from Adelaide, it looked as if he had the weight of the world on his very shoulders. Looking down at herself she was surprised to see that the man must have put his cloak upon her during the night; no wonder she hadn't awoken from the cold. This brought warmth to her heart, he hadn't even known her and yet he still cared enough to go a night without in hopes of making her comfortable. Lifting the cloak Addy realized that her wounds seemed to be somewhat bandaged, albeit crudely. She was mindful as to not make any sudden movements in case the man meant her harm. With his weight alone she didn't stand much of a chance if it came to one on one combat. Because of this she decided her best move would be to sneak off in hopes of finding civilization of some sort, a hospital would be ideal, but she would settle for a phone if need be. However, much to her chagrin, Addy was a bit clumsier than usual with her wide array of injuries. Forgetting which arm had been the victim of last night's shooting Addy rolled onto her right arm to begin the daunting task of rising. Putting weight on her bad arm proved to be a mistake. In attempts to be as quiet as possible she bit her lip to suppress the sob that threatened to escape her lips; in fact she bit so hard that she actually drew blood. With that she managed to take her first step only to find that she must have sprained her ankle while escaping. This pain she had not been anticipating.

"Fuckkkk!" Addy cried out to no one in particular. The pain was far greater having had a night to set in. This caught the man's attention and he was by her side in an instant.

"You are very hurt and have lost a great deal of blood, you should rest a while longer before rising," the man explained while gently pushing her back down to the ground. His voice was very soothing and the compassion that was in his eyes made her blush. Why did this guy care? Addy then looked down at herself for a more thorough inspection, finally seeing that the entirety of her right side, from the gun wound down, was caked in blood, no wonder she had lost consciousness. Sadly she had seen worse things done to her small frame.

"No no I'm fine really, this probably isn't even all my own blood," she reassured him half heartedly realizing how odd that must sound.

Ignoring his advice Addy was soon able to take a few steps with support from the stranger. Feeling awkward not knowing who this man was Addy decided to introduce herself in hopes he would do the same.

"I'm Adelaide by the way but everybody usually just calls me Addy," she said extending her unused hand towards him.

"Thorin son of Thrain," he said whilst bowing slightly, ignoring her hand. Confused by his odd introduction Addy began walking again, this time on her own. Thorin followed closely behind in case she fell.

"You really aren't in any sort of shape to be traveling on your own. Where is your guardian?" Thorin asked sternly.

"Guardian? Are you serious? I'm 24, I'm perfectly capable of doing anything I wish on my own," Addy countered. She did not wish to come across as such a bitch but who was he to tell her that she could not be out on her own. It's the twenty-first century for Christ sake!

"No matter your age Miss Adelaide but you are a young woman, out in a strange land, with no man to protect you, I hardly see how this has worked in your favor thus far." Thorin said with more than a hint of authority. He was a dwarf and greatly believed in the practice of men accompanying women everywhere; how else were they to be protected from the evils of the world?

It was then that she began laughing; she didn't quite know if it was from the stress of the night before or the odd misogynistic man standing in front of her, she just felt the need to laugh. After a while of having dated Lucas, Addy seemed to have run out of tears along the way so she eventually reverted to laughing instead. Thorin must have thought her mad but she could not keep it in any longer. After having laughed for quite some time Addy finally gave notice to Thorin. It seemed to be making him uncomfortable so she tried her best to stop.

"Do you mean to offer me insult by laughing at my beliefs Miss Adelaide?" Thorin snarled at her.

"Oh no! I'm sorry, was it that obvious? It's 2013, I'm pretty sure that women have been allowed to do as they please for quite some time now." Addy countered. "Now if you'll excuse me I really must be moving on, or do I need permission for that too?" She said with a sarcastic bite. If Lucas hadn't died of his wounds she was not about to stick around and wait for him to find her to exact revenge. Addy turned to thank Thorin for all that he had done, after all his presence alone might have scared the bugger away.

As Addy turned to thank Thorin she noticed that he was staring at her. His face exposed such intense hatred it reminded her of Lucas right before he had stabbed her. It unnerved her to the core. Had she really been that awful to him just now? Devising a way to apologize without completely relinquishing her dignity Addy began to speak when suddenly Thorin slapped his hand over her mouth and roughly dragged her injured form behind a nearby boulder. Afraid of how deeply she must have insulted Thorin for him to act this way Addy began struggling against him in hopes of fleeing from the surly man holding her captive. She hadn't survived last night to be murdered by some arrogant stranger. She also hadn't been expecting him to be so strong, it felt as if she were wrestling with the very boulder that was presently providing them cover. Thorin quickly realized that she must not have seen the Orc pack that was just fifty feet away.

"If you move or scream the Orcs will kill us both, now be quite and sit still." He growled into her ear.

"Orcs? What the hell are Orcs?" She whispered as quietly as possible.

Thorin looked at her as if she were an alien, maybe she was, that would be an interesting turn of events she thought sardonically.

"Just keep quiet!" He hissed "They will surely find us since my belongings are spread about and the fire still burns. I am going to try and crawl over to my ax, if they are to see me get up and run as fast as you can into the woods. I will do my best to find you if I am to live," he avowed and with that he was gone.

Interested in what an Orc actually was, Addy peered around the boulder to catch a glimpse. What she saw disgusted her. They looked as if man had mated with the world's foulest animal. They had the form of a man but were grey skinned, slimy, with pointy ears and even pointier teeth; simply put they were abominations. These things could not actually exist Addy thought to herself. This was all so surreal. Finally processing what Thorin had said about running away Addy realized that in her condition the Orcs would be upon her within seconds. There would be no point in even trying. There were at least ten of them, all atop the scariest wolves she had ever seen. They were massive, especially their teeth. Where the hell was she?

Knowing full well that even if Thorin was a great fighter he didn't stand much of a chance defeating all of those Orcs along with their enormous wolves; it was then that Addy decided she would join the fight. Thorin had unknowingly saved her from encountering Lucas again so she sort of owed him in a way. She had managed to live the night before, maybe her luck was finally turning. 

Addy had taken notice of Thorin's wide array of weapons he had a splayed across the camp; she hoped one of the swords would be light enough for her to wield. She had not heard any commotion yet so she figured Thorin must still be crawling back to his things. Peering around the corner Thorin had exited Addy could see him nearly upon them. The man had balls, that was for sure. Lucas would have just hidden behind the boulder along with her like the weak man that he was. Not wishing to waste all that time crawling Addy jumped up and ran to fetch one of the swords. She didn't know if it was the adrenalin from the situation but for some reason Addy was moving like the wind, within seconds she was in the midst of the fight.

Addy was confident with a sword; she had trained with them ever since having disappeared from society two years ago. Living a nomadic life could be very dull and lonesome so she would find things to do to pass the time. In the first town she came across there had been a well-known swordsman, which was very rare for 2011. After the whole ordeal with Lucas Addy had felt raw and weak and needed a way to expel those feelings that haunted her. She found solace in practicing the lost art form, one might even say she became an apprentice of sorts. Addy trained every moment she was not working or sleeping. She found beauty in the movements. It was like dancing in a way. It made her feel safe knowing she could finally defend herself in some manner, even if it was with a bulky sword.

Thorin and Addy fought side by side. She quickly realized how much she had underestimated Thorin's abilities when it came to fighting. Even though he was comparatively smaller than the Orcs and their wolves one would have never noticed, he wielded his weapons with a ferocity Addy had never seen before. It only pushed her harder. The wolves were compulsive making them easier to kill. Addy killed three just by having them run into her sword. She managed to kill another after a few minutes of calculated fighting, but still nothing she couldn't handle. The Orcs were another story. They were nothing compared to Thorin, but neither was Addy really. Thorin had such grace while fighting Addy could barely look away. How could such a bulky being turn into such an elegant fighter? With no time to dwell on her thoughts Addy eventually began to regret her decision. Her arm was beginning to throb while sharp pains stabbed at where the bullet had embedded itself deep into the bone, her ankle wasn't faring any better either, and her head was literally about to explode. Wherever she was she hoped they had some sort of painkillers. She had completely forgotten about the deep cut on her head from having been thrust into a tree many times the night prior. How did Lucas always manage to find a way to make every inch of her body hurt in some fashion or another?

After a while all the wolves were dead and the pair was facing off against the last four Orcs standing. They were not skilled fighters but they were larger than both, and heavier, at least for Addy. Thorin had seemed angry when she first ran out with the sword to join in on the bout but he eventually seemed to appreciate the help she was providing. They fought well together. They were able to play off of each other's moves enough to confuse the Orcs, which helped a great deal. The Orcs were stubborn and very difficult to kill; one had to stab each at least five times before they would fall. It was a bloodbath to say the least. After the last Orc finally fell Addy couldn't find the strength to stand any longer and fainted where she stood.


	3. An Unexpected Proposal

Addy could recall being lifted by strong arms before the darkness overcame her yet again. After what seemed like an eternity she finally found the ability to open her eyes. She awoke to find herself in a quaint room in a four post bed with a roaring fire in the hearth. This was not a house she was accustomed to being in. Actually it was the coziest place she had ever been. Looking down at herself she realized that she had been bathed, bandaged, and was wearing some sort of odd night gown. Utterly confused as to where she was and how she had gotten there Addy set out to find some answers.

She could hear a great deal of commotion coming from across the house. Following the noise Addy stumbled upon the most unusual group of men she had ever seen. They all had grand beards, save for one of the younger fellows, and hair that was braided in ways unbeknownst to Addy. And yet there was something familiar about the lot that she couldn't quite put her finger on. Upon further investigation she noticed a very large man sitting at the table as well. He looked to be a giant compared to the rest of them. He had the longest beard she had ever laid eyes on and was clad in grey from head to toe. He had kind eyes she noticed, they were full of wisdom it seemed. Lastly there was a shorter man standing next to the giant holding a candle over a piece of parchment. His features were boyish and his face looked as if he had never frowned once in his entire life. He had curly brown hair and wore the most peculiar clothing consisting of corduroy capris along with a dress shirt. The thing that intrigued Addy the most about him were his huge feet. He had the biggest and hairiest feet Addy had ever seen. After having thoroughly investigated the scene from behind a cupboard Addy felt it was time to make her presence known.

"Hi" was all she could think of to say. She had never particularly enjoyed addressing large groups of people before and there had to be at least 14 of them. The bunch abruptly ended their conversation to study the strange girl who seemingly appeared out of nowhere. Addy stood motionless as they all stared at her with astonishment upon their faces. It was then that she realized the one with his back to her had been Thorin. Upon turning around he quickly rose and strode over to her as the others watched in anticipation.

"What are you wearing? You should know full well that you cannot simply come traipsing into a room full of men wearing nothing but your night gown." He said venomously. She was embarrassing him, which amused her. Thorin was not entertained as usual. Addy wondered if the man was even capable of smiling.

"I'm sorry to offend your eyes so from my lack of clothing sir" Addy said still giggling. After she realized that he truly was offended, Addy turned beet red and went back to the room she had awoken in. How dare he speak to her in that tone, in front of all those men! Who did he think he was, the king of the world? In the armoire she was able to find a few odd dresses, having nothing else to wear she figured that they would have to do. She picked the least offending of the bunch and gingerly emerged again. This time the giant with the kind eyes approached her to introduce himself.

"I am Gandalf the Grey, and you are?" He asked warmly.

"My name is Adelaide Underwood but everyone usually just calls me Addy." She squeaked.

"Well Miss Underwood, we were all just having a bit of supper, would you care to join us?" He mused. Having realized that she hadn't eaten in what must have been days Addy jumped at the opportunity.

"I would be delighted!" She responded cheerily.

"Good, while you eat you can tell us how you came to have those most unusual wounds," Gandalf said as he pointed towards her arm. Addy nodded her head in response to this; had they never seen a gunshot wound before? Surely they must have seen one on television. Gandalf pulled up a chair for her between him and Thorin. Addy completely ignored the proud man to her right and fixed her attention on the bowl of soup that was brought to her by the boyish one with large feet.

"Thank you" she said in response to the meal being put in front of her.

"You are most welcome" he said sincerely. He seemed to be a bit miffed about something but was kind to her all the same. After a few bites of the warm soup Addy began to feel like herself again. Once finished, Addy sheepishly looked up at the men surrounding her. They were all staring at her, probably wondering who this odd young woman was. Gandalf was the first to break the silence.

"Now that you have had some time to restore your energy would you care telling us how you happened to come across Throin? It is very unusual for a young woman such as yourself to be traveling on her own without a companion. " He explained.

"Umm well I can't quite recall." Addy said truthfully.

"Well then my dear just explain what you can remember. How did you get these wounds?" Gandalf inquired.

"Oh you don't want to hear that story, it's a bit of a downer," she explained.

"I'm sure we can handle it." Thorin rumbled gravely.

"What Thorin means to say is that we are interested in whatever you have to share with us Miss Underwood," Gandalf reassured her.

"Well then I guess I'll start with what happened a few days back. I was at a bonfire with some friends from work. I had been drinking so when Lucas, my ex-boyfriend, arrived I was not as responsive as I usually am in that sort of situation. The second we locked eyes I knew that he was there to kill me. So I ran. I ran into the woods as fast as I possibly could. Looking back it was probably a poor decision but I was drunk and didn't want to bring my friends into the whole mess of a situation. I kept running until I came to a ledge. The usual quarreling ensued, ending with him pulling a gun on me. I don't quite remember how everything went down, it's all a bit blurry to be honest. From what I can remember we fought resulting in me stabbing him. I tried my best to flee but Lucas was fast on my heels. He then proceeded to pick me up by my throat and threw me against a tree. He wrapped his hands around my throat and tried to squeeze the very life out of me. He had almost succeeded when I took the knife out of his original wound and stabbed it deeply into his stomach. After that he dropped me and I ran. I ran for all that I was worth, but obviously you can't outrun a bullet. He shot me in the arm but I kept on running, I ran until I was suddenly stopped and then I don't remember anything after that until I woke up and met Thorin," she explained honestly.

"What is a gun?" One of the men inquired.

"You don't know what a gun is?" Addy said shocked. How could there still be people in the world that didn't know what a gun was? Thinking of the best way to explain such a thing Addy proceeded to say "umm you know what a bow and arrow is right?" All the men agreed in unison. "Well just imagine a bow and arrow but the arrow is million times faster a lot smaller. If you have a piece of paper I might be able to sketch you one."

Just then one of the men produced a notebook along with a pencil. Addy began sketching, to the best of her abilities, a hand gun similar to the one Lucas had used on her. She showed them where the bullet went in and how it would shoot out of the opening in the front when the trigger was pull ed. A dark look crossed Gandalfs face as he realized the sheer power one could wield by merely owning one of these peculiar "guns" as she had refereed to it.

"If you don't know what a gun is surely you didn't know to look for a bullet in the wound, did you?" Addy asked Gandalf.

"No my dear, I am afraid we did not," was his reply.

"I think you have to take it out in some way, otherwise I might become very sick." Addy explained sheepishly.

"And how do you propose we do this?" Thorin asked.

"Well I supposed you'll have to cut it out," Addy said with far more courage than she truly felt.

"Oin, you are the healer you shall accompany Gandalf in doing so." Thorin commanded.

Oin and Gandalf got up to begin preparing for the procedure as Addy slowly felt the blood drain from her face. If they did not know of guns here they surely did not know of anesthesia. They had already cauterized the wound meaning they would have to reopen it and dig around in hopes of finding the bullet. Upon request Addy drew a picture of a bullet as well to help in the search. Gandalf led her back to her room for the operation. He held her hand while intoning some unknown language. Suddenly Addy found herself drifting off. What seemed like a minute later Addy was awoken by Gandalf.

"The deed has been done my dear." He reassured her.

"You actually found it?" Addy croaked out while suppressing a yawn.

"Yes, it took quite a while but we managed. Now we have a few things to discuss." He looked at her solemnly.

"Okay." Had been her response, which seemed to confuse the gentle giant; he proceeded nonetheless.

He began "you are not from this world Adelaide Underwood, for we have no weapons such as these 'guns' as you called them. What I wish to know is where exactly are you from and why such a young woman as yourself would have so many scars littering her body?" It all made sense to her now; had she been in a better mental state she would have surely figured it out much sooner.

"Growing up I lived in country called America, but because of my ex I was forced to flee and find refuge elsewhere, that is what brought me to New Zealand you see. That was where I was living when he finally found me. And then all of a sudden I was here." Addy explained.

"What were you fleeing from?" Gandalf inquired.

"Oh you know, everything. When I was five my parents died in an accident of sorts and ever since then I have pretty much been on my own. When I was eighteen I met Lucas. At first he took care of me, which I was not accustomed to since I had never really been taken care of before that, however after a year of being in a relationship he began to change. It was as if a demon possessed his very soul. He was no longer the caring man I had grown to love, he was a monster that would beat me for no reason at all. Once he beat me for chewing too loudly; that particular bout put me in the hospital for a week. But I kept going back to him because I had nothing and no one else. As the beatings escalated so did my visits to the hospital. The doctors and nurses suspected what was going on but without my consent they couldn't do much. I had wanted to tell them but knew that if Lucas were to ever find out he would simply kill me and whomever I had told. However, there was this one nurse that I had become very close with while at the hospital, her name was Laura. One night she had gotten me drunk and managed to bring me to the police station to show the recent wounds Lucas had inflicted upon me. He was arrested that evening, but was out the very next day. I had warned Lauren not to meddle but she hadn't listened. I had been staying with her when Lucas showed up to bring me home. Lauren and I knew that if he managed to actually get me there he was going to kill me. Lauren did her best to protect me that evening, but Lucas's rage quickly overpowered her. He was seconds away from stabbing her when I interjected. The knife planted itself directly into my heart. After that everything went black. I awoke in a hospital a week later to find out that Lauren had been killed and Lucas was nowhere to be found. So I began moving from town to town in hopes of keeping Lucas at bay. I actually became very skilled at it, until just recently when he found me. And now I am here, wherever 'here' actually is."

Gandalf turned to look at her with a great deal of pity in his eyes. Addy loathed pity, it always made her uncomfortable. She had adjusted to the sorrows of her life and didn't need others to feel remorse for her. She was sick of always feeling like a victim, she just wanted to feel like a normal person for once.

"You have had to endure a great deal of pain and sadness in your short life Miss Underwood. I can see that it has altered you some, but not as much as one might expect. Thorin spoke of how you came to his aid while fighting the Orcs. He was most impressed with your skill. Is sword fighting common where you come from? I find it interesting that sword fighting still exists when a gun seems to do a great deal more damage with much less effort." Gandalf probed.

"No it is not common. When I fled I had to take odd jobs here and there to survive. My first job was working with a blacksmith that specialized in making blades. He never asked how I came to be there, which was the main reason I began working with him in the first place. He taught me how to protect myself with and without a sword. I practiced as much as time would allow. I found comfort in it. I am nowhere near the skill of Thorin though." Addy admitted.

"Oh my dear not many can claim that they are, he is nearly two hundred years old so he has had quite a deal of time to perfect his skills." Gandalf said while chuckling. Glad to finally be off the subject of her past Addy smiled up at the caring giant. It felt odd on her face; she couldn't even recall the last time she had genuinely smiled. All of a sudden what he had just told her sunk in. Thorin was two hundred years old? Seriously, where was she?

"Well Miss Underwood it is my personal belief that you were brought here to us for some cosmically unknown reason. I trust that if you were to join us on our upcoming journey we might be able to find answers as to why."

"Journey? What sort of journey are you going on exactly?"

"I believe it would be best for the leader of the company to explain it to you." With that Gandalf rose from his seat next to the fireplace and crossed the room to make his way towards the door. He then proceeded to open it to find all of the dwarves milling about, obviously having just been caught eavesdropping. Addy could feel herself begin to blush hoping they had not heard the whole of their conversation. She hated people knowing her past. Once they knew they would treat her differently, like she was made of glass or something. It infuriated her.

"I hope you all have not been snooping just now." Said Gandalf to the group strewn about in front of him. They all started shouting at the same time claiming they were simply there to see if the pair had wanted any refreshments or dessert. Gandalf knew they were lying but didn't bother reprimanding them, there was no time for that.

"Thorin we require your presence." Gandalf relayed.

Thorin gave a slight nod and a pathway cleared before him so that he could enter the room. Upon entering he noticed that Addy looked a great deal paler than she had during supper. This worried him. Thorin had carried her for three days straight to bring her to the Shire. He had done his best to keep her wounds bound and clean, but much to his dismay she had so many that she never seemed to cease bleeding. Then to hear that they were to reopen the worst of them all had almost made him lose his temper. He didn't know why he felt so strongly on the matter. It was probably because she had helped him a great deal during the fight. Going into it he knew he had no chance of winning and just hoped that the girl would find her way to safety, but instead she fought along with him. He felt responsible for her now, in a sense.

"Hello" Thorin said upon entering. He smiled timidly at her knowing she was more than likely still angry at him for reprimanding her in the dining room earlier. He didn't mean to be so harsh with her but he saw the way his nephews were staring at her and it angered him greatly. He decided his best approach would be to apologize. She had been resting her eyes and hadn't noticed his presence until Gandalf stepped back into the room.

"Oh, hi." She said meekly. She felt weak and tired but was sick of constantly being asleep.

"How are you feeling?" Thorin inquired.

"Sore and tired but I'll live." She tried smiling then but the cut on her cheek began to reopen and she decided it was better not to.

"Are you in much pain?" He asked seeming genuinely concerned. This confused Addy, hadn't he just yelled at her in front of all those men? Why was he suddenly concerned about her well-being?

"Only every inch of my body, but I've lived through worse." She explained. A dark shadow crossed over Thorin's face then. She couldn't decipher it exactly but what she had said seemed to anger him a great deal. What an odd fellow he was turning out to be.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Thorin began but was interrupted by Gandalf, who didn't seem to have time for such pleasantries.

"Thorin I asked you in here to discuss what is to happen with Miss Underwood. It has become clear that she is not from our world. She is from some distant place that up until this evening I had no idea existed. What I wish to find out is why she has been brought to us. I plan to accomplish this on our upcoming journey, which would mean she would have to accompany us." Gandalf clarified.

"Out of the question!" Thorin thundered. This surprised Addy so much so that she actually jumped out of the bed. Both men were at her side in an instant to assist. Feeling far too coddled Addy waved them off and got back in herself.

"And why not? You yourself said she was skilled with a sword, that reason alone should be enough to let her accompany. We need all the fighters we can get if we are to make it all the way to Erebor unscathed." Gandalf reprimanded.

"You have seen her wounds. There is no way she would make it alive! I am not going to slow down our journey and risk her life just so we can figure out why she has been dropped into our laps." Thorin retorted.

"God save me from the stubbornness of Dwarves!" Gandalf bellowed. Dwarves, so that's what these men were. No wonder they were so stout.

"This is a mistake and you know it Wizard!" Thorin roared back. And Gandalf wasn't a giant after all, he was a Wizard. How peculiar this whole situation was turning out to be. Addy was in the middle of a fight between a Dwarf and a Wizard. Maybe she was dead after all. Finding the humor in the situation laughter began bubbling out of Addy before she could cease it.

"And what do you find so entertaining Miss Underwood?" Thorin snarled.

"I'm sitting in a room with a Wizard and Dwarf fighting over my fate. How can I not laugh at that?" Addy queried.

"Well, where you find it humorous I merely find it a bother. I will not have her on the journey. It would be a danger to us all. She is better off staying here to mend with your so called 'burglar'." Thorin said with a tad bit of superiority.

"How about we ask the rest of the company? They too are risking their lives on this journey to reclaim your homeland, they might as well have a say in the matter." Gandalf snapped.

"I am the leader of the company and I say no!" Was all the Dwarf was able to get out before Gandalf whisked Addy up into his arms and brought her into the sitting room. Gandalf then deposited her into a large leather chair and wrapped a blanket around her. Once that was done he turned to address the Dwarves that had begun to gather around behind him. Having heard snippets of the heated conversation the Dwarves were interested to hear what both men had to say.

"Now I am sure most of you heard what our conversation was about. Miss Underwood has been brought to us by some unknown force and I feel we cannot turn our cheeks on the matter. She is here for a reason and we must find out what that reason is." Gandalf said. The group of men then turned to Thorin waiting to hear his side on the matter. These men really seemed to look up to the gruff dwarf Addy noticed.

"I find it would be all together a poor decision. Merely three days ago she suffered some terrible injuries and now she sits here in even worse health than she was in before. We would be forced to travel slowly to make sure her condition doesn't worsen and even then if she was to heal it would take a great deal of time. What if she was still in poor health by the time we arrived at Erabor? She surely wouldn't be able to face a dragon in such a condition." Theorin explained. Dragons? Now this journey was getting interesting. 

"Don't I have any say in the matter?" Addy interjected. They were speaking of her as if she wasn't even in the same room.

"Yes of course my dear." Gandalf said.

"Now what exactly does this journey entail?" She asked.

"They are going to venture across all of Middle Earth to fight a dragon in hopes of stealing back their homeland of Erebor." Said the shortest one laced with cynicism. Addy deduced that he was not to be joining in on the adventure.

"Well that is the abbreviated version but true all the same, thank you Bilbo." Replied Gandalf warmly.

"Well that all sounds very interesting, and I don't want to seem rude but what would be in it for me if I were to join?" Addy inquired.

"Well you would be given a portion of the gold of course, that is if we were to actually be successful on our quest." Said one of the Dwarves with a magnificent white beard.

"We might also be able to find those that would know a little bit more about your predicament. I suggest we seek the council of Saruman, he is the greatest wizard in all of Middle Earth. He is bound to know something." Added Gandalf.

"Well seeing as I have no idea where I am and how I came to be here that offer is very generous. I suppose since I have nothing better to do at present I could come along. Only if Thorin agrees to it of course." Looking at Thorin, Addy continued "If you truly believe I would be that great of a burden I will not join. But as you saw I can wield a sword and I can cook as well. I will do as you say and will try my best to be as low impact as possible." Addy pleaded with Thorin. So much was running through her mind at present. What if she never did find her way back? What would she do then? How would she survive in this foreign land? She would need some means of living and from what the white haired dwarf had said they would be coming across some sort of treasure, which would take care of that issue at least. She really hoped Thorin agreed. She gave him the most heartfelt look she possibly could.

Thorin looked at her with her beaten and battered face and something in him couldn't refuse. He could only imagine what it must be like for her in this strange land so far from home. He had encountered the very same thing at the age of 24 when Smaug the Terrible forced his people out of their home of Erebor. After a moment of contemplating the pros and cons Throin had finally come to a decision.

"You may come," was all he said before abruptly leaving the room.

With that the room erupted with cheers from the other Dwarves. Apparently they hadn't minded the thought of her joining as much as their leader had. They ambushed her with all of their names then. From what she could remember there were thirteen of them including Thorin. They had very odd names that seemed out of a fairy tale. There was Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Ori, Dori, Nori, Fili, Kili, Oin, Gloin, Dwalin, Balin, and finally Thorin. Trying to remember their names made her feel as if she was Snow White and she had just stumbled upon the seven Dwarves. Feeling relieved that the matter had been decided Addy finally relaxed into the chair and accepted a cup from Bilbo.

"It's tea." He told her reassuringly while handing it to her.

"Thank you so much for your kindness, Bilbo was it?" She said genuinely. He appeared to be the owner of the house, and didn't seem too happy that he was presently entertaining thirteen rowdy Dwarves.

"Yes. Yes it is. Bilbo Baggins, in fact. And you are most welcome. I am glad to see that you survived whatever it is that they did to you in there, sounded like nasty business." Bilbo said with a shudder.

"Are you to be coming with us on the journey as well?" She asked of him.

"Oh no, I'm afraid not. Adventures are looked down on in Hobbiton and I don't wish to bring shame to my family name." He explained. Bilbo knew he was lying, he honestly didn't care what others thought about his actions, he just didn't want to leave his hobbit hole. It had all of his favorite things and he found no particular need to part with them.

"Are you sure you should be venturing out in such a state?" Bilbo asked of Addy.

"I've grown accustomed to pain. It doesn't bother me much anymore honestly. And I do hope to find out why I was brought here. Maybe I could find a way back home even." She said in response before taking a sip.

"Not to be blunt, but it doesn't sound like you were really enjoying your life wherever you came from Miss Underwood." Bilbo said sheepishly.

"Oh no worries, I'm perfectly aware that my life thus far has been depressing to say the least, but now that Lucas might be dead I might finally have my life back." Addy said hopefully.

"Well I sure do hope you find the answers you are looking for." Bilbo said smiling at her.

"Me too Bilbo." Addy said doing her best to try and smile back without it being too painful. It must have looked as funny as it felt because Bilbo suddenly burst out laughing. Addy joined in realizing that she was actually having fun in this strange world. She finally felt free of the shackles that had bound her to the constant misery that was her life for so many years.

It was then that Thorin strode back into the room. He looked at the pair laughing by the fire and Addy swore she saw the hint of a smile reach his lips. When he noticed her looking at him his face changed back to the mask of austerity he constantly wore. Thorin made his way to the fireplace and began smoking his pipe.

Addy must have drifted off for a bit because when she awoke Bilbo was gone and the room was full of Dwarves. They began humming a hypnotic tune that she did not recognize. Thorin began singing words to go along. His voice was intoxicating; it filled every crevice of the room. Addy watched him from her chair finally having a moment to further investigate the stern dwarf. He was extremely handsome she concluded, every aspect of him indicated strength. It was his eyes that captured her attention. They were crystal blue with a hint of sadness behind them that only intrigued her more. Laura had said the same thing about her once. She said no matter what expression Addy wore you could always see the pain she had to endure behind them. It was then that Thorin caught her staring at him. Addy couldn't look away from the pain in his eyes, it was so raw. They kept eye contact until the song abruptly finished and Addy quickly looked away, suddenly embarrassed by the intimacy they had just shared.

Gandalf then came into the room and told them it was time to go to bed for they were to rise early. Thorin then walked over to the chair Addy was in and picked her up. She hadn't been expecting this and a tiny squeak escaped her lips. Thorin immediately set her down.

"I'm sorry did I hurt you?" He asked.

"No you just caught me off guard that's all." She explained.

"Well now that you know what my intentions are do I have permission to carry you to your room? Or do you wish to try yourself?" Thorin said with a mocking tone as he smirked at her. He was toying with her. Surprised by his sudden playfulness Addy replied.

"As you wish," she said while waving her had toward him as if she were royalty. Picking her up again he carried her ever so gently to the room she had been sleeping in before and set her down.

"Sleep well Lady Underwood." And with that he was gone. This guy was such a mystery! One second he would be bellowing at her for some miniscule reason only to go and do things like that! Addy didn't have any more time to relish on the matter since sleep finally overcame her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think! Enjoy :D


	4. An Unexpected King

Addy awoke the next morning to a great deal of commotion coming from the kitchen. Feeling a bit revived Addy threw her legs over the side of the bed and limped over to the armoire to prepare for the journey ahead. Inside was a satchel neatly packed with all of the dresses that had been hanging inside the night before, along with a few toiletries, or at least what she thought to be toiletries. Venturing out into the house Addy quickly found the band of Dwarves sitting around the table enjoying some breakfast. As she entered the room one of the Dwarves, who she thought to be Bofur, gestured for her to sit next to him.

"You're looking fine this morning Miss Underwood! Sleep must have done you some good." Bofur exclaimed.

"You're the prettiest girl this side of the Lonely Mountain!" Another one named Ori chimed in.

Laughing at their exclamations Addy took the offered seat next to Bofur and began filling her plate with eggs and toast, excited to finally have a real meal in her stomach.

"I'm sure that is far from true, especially with my face all puffy like this." Addy said while pointing at the subject matter.

"Those won't last forever dearie. We can see the beauty that lies underneath." The one named Balin said.

"What do you think she'll look like when the bruises finally fade?" Either Kili or Fili shouted across the table.

Their usual chatter ensued discussing what they thought Addy would look like without the bruises and cuts that presently littered her face. Addy thought about the discussion while she began eating. She had never truly felt pretty in her life, but that was probably just because Lucas constantly told her otherwise. Addy realized now that that was how he managed to have her stay all those years. She felt lucky that even though she wasn't particularly attractive at least someone still wanted her. Because she couldn't make ties while moving from place to place she never even considered that anyone other than Lucas would ever find her remotely interesting. She had worn baggy clothing then and never even bothered to put on makeup. She had been broken and let it reflect in her appearance. It was in New Zealand that she finally felt that she might actually be somewhat attractive. Having worked at a ski resort they expected their staff to look presentable. It wasn't long until Addy was getting her hair done and buying clothing with an actual shape. She had sandy blonde hair that shimmered with golden highlights whenever in the sun. Her face was heart shaped with full lips and decent enough cheekbones. She was unusually pale but knew that would change once on the road. She always had a cropping of freckles appear on her dainty nose whenever outside. However, it was her eyes that she always felt were the most intriguing part about her. They were almond shaped with violet coloring. Her friends always said they were unnerving since one moment they would appear to be a deep purple and the next they would seem golden. No matter what others thought they were her favorite feature about herself. She was on the short side, not even hitting 5 feet and was fairly skinny. She had lost her appetite for everything while dating Lucas, but now she felt it coming back with a vengeance. She had been in New Zealand the longest, she even considered it her home now. She'd managed to make a group of friends there, but as of late it seemed that was all gone for now, she thought woefully. She would just have to make due in this odd new world. Thorin walked into the dining room then, distracting her from her thoughts.

"Be ready and outside in five minutes." He ordered.

Scarfing down her eggs as fast as humanly possible, Addy was sure any notion of her being pretty had most likely disappeared from the Dwarves minds. With that she went to wash her dish and put it away so Bilbo wouldn't have to. It seemed the thought hadn't crossed any of the others minds since the kitchen was a mess. Addy didn't want to leave all of this for poor Bilbo to have to clean up so she began washing dishes and putting things away. Suddenly Gandalf appeared out of nowhere.

"And what do you think you are doing Miss Underwood, the convoy is leaving this very second and you are not where you need to be." Gandalf chided.

"Well I couldn't just leave this awful mess for Bilbo to wake up to so I figured I'd just tidy things up a bit." She said.

"Oh never mind that!" Gandalf said whilst hitting his staff on the floor. Addy couldn't believe her eyes; all of a sudden everything had been put back into order.

"Now we really must be on our way if we intend to make any sort of progress before sunset." Gandalf said in haste as they walked outside to meet the others. Upon leaving the house Addy was mesmerized. She had never seen such an idyllic place in her life. Everything breathed life. There were glorious gardens in front of every house with an array of flowers, the likes of which she had never seen before. The green hills seemed to roll on forever, and all the houses were quaintly tucked away into each hilltop. No wonder Bilbo was reluctant to leave. Addy longed to stay herself.

"Now you will be riding with Thorin my dear." Gandalf told her while pointing to the dwarf at the front of the pack, already mounted atop his pony.

"Oh there's no need, I'm perfectly capable of riding on my own. I actually quite enjoy riding." Addy told the wizard.

"My dear you are in no shape to be handling a horse all by yourself, you have but one good arm and you need two. Thorin has offered his assistance and I think it to be a wise choice. Once you are in a better state of health you are welcome to ride on your own." Gandalf assured her.

"Fine." She said angrily. When were they going to stop treating her like a glass doll? She was feeling a million times better than she had been the last few days. Her arm was even beginning to heal nicely. It must have been that damn bullet that made her so sick and tired. Walking up to the front of the convoy Addy spotted Thorin and made her way over to him and his pony.

"So where am I to sit?" She asked the proud dwarf while shielding her eyes from the sun.

"It would probably be best for you to sit in front, that way if you are tired you can sleep if need be." He said with a calculating tone. So it was stern Thorin that was to keep her company today, great.

He dismounted to help her up onto the pony's back and then remounted again behind her. She began to blush out of embarrassment. She figured she ought to be used to such close contact by now, he had carried her for three days straight after all, not that she could remember any of it. She was thankful that they were in the front of the group so that no one took notice of the effect he was having on her. With that they began their journey. Addy was a bit disappointed Bilbo hadn't changed his mind on the matter and just come along anyways, he seemed to be a very nice fellow. She would have liked to talk to him a bit more, especially after seeing what he had referred to as 'Hobbition'. What a life he must have led growing up in such a beautiful place. Consumed by her thoughts Addy barely noticed that Thorin was speaking to her.

"Huh?" She asked in response to what he had said.

He repeated. "You seem to be feeling better, you look a great deal better that is." Thorin mumbled seeming a bit flustered.

"Oh yes, I am feeling much better, thank you. It must have been the bullet that was making me so sick." She replied.

"I'm glad to hear it." He replied. After having traveled for a few minutes Addy began to hear shouting in the distance.

"Did you hear that?" She asked Thorin.

"And what are you referring to?" He countered but didn't finish because Addy was shushing him.

"It sounds like someone is yelling something in the distance." She said. Gandalf then turned around to stop the party. They soon realized why he had done so when they glimpsed Bilbo's head bobbing over the hills as he ran to catch up.

"I knew he would come!" Addy said smiling. Bilbo ran as fast as his little legs would allow and was shortly upon them waving a parchment in front.

"I signed it!" He claimed while extending the parchment towards Balin, who then proceeded to inspect the signature.

"Everything seems to be in order here. Welcome to the Company of Thorin Oakenshield Master Baggins." Balin said to the Hobbit panting in front of him.

Gandalf began moving towards the back to greet him when bags of what sounded like coin began flying through the air. Addy's curiosity piqued when Thorin reached into his cloak and produced a bag like the others. He then threw it in the direction of Gandalf.

"What are those?" Addy asked Thorin.

"We took wages on whether or not the burglar would actually accompany us." Thorin relayed.

"And you bet he wouldn't? Why do you dislike him so? He seems good of heart." She said in response, feeling sorry for Bilbo.

"Being on a journey such as this requires a great deal more than simply being 'good of heart'!" Thorin said laced with resentment.

That's it Addy decided. Thorin Oakenshield had a serious case of bi-polar disorder. One second he was caring and attentive, the next he was biting her head off for nothing. It was giving her mental whiplash. She decided to pretend to be asleep for the rest of the day. Maybe she would ride with another Dwarf tomorrow. Constantly being berated by Thorin was far too tiring for someone on the mend anyways. Addy must have actually fallen asleep because when she awoke she was engulfed in Thorins fur lined cloak. She was so cozy she did not wish to open her eyes. She knew someone was calling her name so she finally relented.

"Miss Underwood, are you awake?" Thorin asked.

Stifling a yawn Addy slowly rose from resting against the dwarf. She looked around and realized it had turned into night sometime along the way. Realizing they must be setting up camp Addy began dismounting. Thorin stopped her with a strong hand on her shoulder.

"Miss Underwood you are in no shape to be dismounting. You might reopen one of your wounds. Let me dismount first and then I shall help you." He said calmly.

Sick of this overbearing treatment Addy decided she would dismount on her own anyways. Who was he to tell her when and how to do things? Ignoring his advice Addy proceeded to swing her leg over the pony and jumped down. What she hadn't been anticipating was at the very same moment Thorin began dismounting as well. Soon the pair was tumbling together towards the ground. Much to her and Thorins embarrassment he landed directly on top of her.

"Holy Shit!" Addy exclaimed while beginning to laugh. Thorin had done his best not to put all of his weight on top of her knowing he would most likely squash her to death if he had.

Thorin was about to scold her for having ignored his advice on how to dismount when he realized their faces were mere inches from each other. It was then that he finally realized how beautiful she truly was. Her golden hair spilled out all around her while the firelight danced in her eyes. He could see the pain she had suffered in them, but there was also a youthful presence that lingered there as well. They were golden from the firelight and he could not look away. After what seemed like forever of staring at one another Addy began speaking.

"Hmmmm?" Was his response. He hadn't heard what she had said.

"I asked if this was where we were to make camp tonight or do you have any foreseeable plans to get off of me?" She said with an amusing smile.

So she had noticed that he had been admiring her. Feeling embarrassed Throin began to stand. Once his feet were back firmly on the ground he began helping Addy up. What he hadn't noticed was the laughter that had erupted upon their fall. He turned and gave the lot the harshest look he could muster, which shut them right up. Once composed Thorin began commanding the group about. He ordered Gloin to start the fire and Bombur to begin making supper. Fili and Kili were chosen to keep watch during the night while Bofur and Ori were to look after the ponies. Always having wanted to know how to make a fire without a match Addy approached Gloin and asked if he would show her how.

"I'd be delighted! It's simple really!" Exclaimed Gloin, excited to have an audience that evening. He started the fires every night and swore that the younger dwarves didn't even know how.

Addy watched with fascination, never having needed to light a fire without a match before. She made note of the technique knowing that if she was to stay in Middle Earth this skill would more than likely come in handy at some point in time. After the fire had been made dinner was well underway. Addy had watched that process as well, knowing she had said she would help with the cooking while on the journey. Addy loved to cook; she had cooked for the blacksmith in return for room and board. She decided then that she would make dinner the next evening if Bombur allowed.

As they all sat down for dinner around the fire the Dwarves began singing again. It was another sorrowful tune about their lost city of Erebor. Addy felt out of place, these dwarves longed for their home so, she envied them. She had never truly had a place she could call home. After her parents had died Addy was moved from foster home to foster home, never settling in one place for long. She didn't like to think about those years of her life where sorrow had been her constant companion. Once she had turned sixteen she was on her own wandering from town to town never truly settling anywhere. This had given her a leg up when it came to running from Lucas. It seemed Addy was to never truly have a place she could call home and this thought saddened her more than anything.

"Now don't look too sad lassie, we'll win back Erebor from Smaug!" Cried the one named Bofur. With that all the men began cheering in an odd language Addy didn't recognize.

"Do you sing at all Miss Underwood?" Bofur then asked.

"Sometimes but only when no one can hear me." She replied truthfully.

"Oh come now, half of us are tone-deaf but we sing anyways. Sing us a song!" Bofur said enthusiastically. With that all the other dwarves chimed in saying they would like to hear her sing as well.

Feeling awkward in the spotlight Addy relented hoping one quick song would do. She had loved music before Lucas came into her life; it had been the one steadfast thing she could count on. However, after being with Lucas for so long her taste had changed. Eventually she only listened to songs full of sorrow. She finally decided on one that had been a favorite of hers while on the run. She began singing then.

I hear something hanging on the wind

I see black smoke up around the bend

I got my ticket

I'm going to go home

The leaves have changed a time or two

Since the last time the train came through

I got my ticket and I'm going to go home

My father's father's blood is on the track

A sweet refrain drifts in from the past

I got my ticket and I'm going to go home

The winding roads that led me here

Burn like coal and dry like tears

So here's my hope

My tired soul

So here's my ticket

I want to go home

Home

Home

Addy hadn't been expecting the emotions that bubbled up whilst singing for the dwarf company. A tear slowly slid down her face while thinking about the parents she had lost at such a young age. How different her life would be had they lived. It must have affected the dwarves as well because no one spoke for quite some time after she had finished. Feeling eyes on her Addy looked up to see Thorin staring at her with anguish on his face, which suddenly turned to anger. Thorin rose abruptly and left the group. Not knowing what she had done to anger him so Addy turned her attention to the rest of the Dwarves. It was Bofur that eventually broke the silence.

"That was beautiful, you have a lovely singing voice my dear." He said genuinely while patting her on the leg in a fatherly fashion.

Then the group exploded with praise for Addy's song. They begged her to sing more and she obliged; it surprised her that she had actually enjoyed the attention. After having sung many more songs the group decided it was time for some rest. Upon rising Addy suddenly remembered how Thorin had withdrawn before. Consumed by her thoughts she was unable to sleep. It seemed sleep was just out of reach for Balin as well. He sat by the fire flanked by Fili and Kili. Addy rose from her bedroll to join them.

"Why hello Miss Underwood! Couldn't sleep either?" Balin inquired warmly.

"No, I've slept all day and now it seems to be eluding me." Addy replied.

"Well you are more than welcome to keep us company!" Fili and Kili said simultaneously.

"Thank you." She said while smiling at the welcoming brothers.

Turning her attention to Balin Addy decided to ask him a question that had been nagging her ever since dinner.

"Balin, why did Thorin leave in such an angered state after I sang earlier?" She queried.

"Oh lass it wasn't anything to do with you. I believe it had to do with the song you sang. You see after Smaug the Terrible took the Lonely Mountain us dwarves were forced to wander the land, never truly settling down anywhere. We were dispirited and poor. Thorin took it the hardest, feeling his grandfather's greed to be the reason as to why we had been exiled. He led our exodus, never truly showing how despondent he was over the whole matter. Eventually King Thror tried to reclaim the ancient dwarf kingdom of Moria... but our enemy had got there first. Moria had been taken by legions of Orcs, led by the most vile of all their race, Azog the Defiler. The giant Gundabad Orc had sworn to wipe out the line of Durin. He began by beheading the King. Thrain, Thorin's father, was driven mad by grief. He went missing, taken prisoner or killed; we did not know. We were leaderless, defeat and death were upon us. That is when I saw him; the young dwarf prince facing down the Pale Orc. He stood alone against this terrible foe, his armour rent, wielding nothing but an oaken branch as a shield... Thorin then cut off the great Orc's arm. Azog the Defiler learned that day that the line of Durin would not be so easily broken. Our forces rallied and drove the Orcs back; our enemy had been defeated... but there was no feast or songs that night, for our dead were beyond the count of grief. We few had survived and I thought to myself then 'There is one I could follow. There is one I could call King'. Balin explained.

"No one ever told me he was a King!" Addy exclaimed. How could that have stayed a secret to her this whole time? She suddenly understood his peculiar behavior. An exiled King trying to reclaim his homeland had no time for the follies of some strange girl.

It was then that Thorin reappeared to find all of his companion's eyes upon him. He quickly found Addy's among them. He was confused to see shock upon her face. What had they been telling her now?

Then Bilbo, who had been petting his pony, asked "And the Pale Orc? What happened to him?"

Realizing what they had been speaking of, Throin answered venomously "He crawled back to the hole in which he came from and died of his wounds long ago." Looking back to where Addy had been sitting a minute ago to find her gone.

Addy suddenly felt a great deal of pity for the Dwarf king. Why had she acted like such a child this entire time? He saved her life more than once and she had been so rude to him. She vowed then and there that she would no longer be a nuisance to Thorin, King under the Mountain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song I used in this chapter is called 'My Father's Father' by the Civil Wars. They are an amazing band and I encourage you all to give them a chance. btw this is my first fanfic ever just letting you know. Hope you all enjoy reading these as much as I enjoy writing them :D


	5. An Unexpected Chase

Addy didn't sleep a wink that night. Instead she took watch with Fili and Kili. The young brothers must have heard the story of their uncle defeating the Pale Orc a hundred times for it did not seem to effect them one bit, Addy on the other hand couldn't get the images out of her mind. She couldn't imagine what it must have been like for Thorin to see his grandfather beheaded before his very eyes. Addy was there when her parents had died but she had been young and could only recall large flames and nothing more. By the time they were to depart Addy was exhausted. However, she knew that if she were to sleep the day away again she would be in the very same predicament as the night before. 

"How are you feeling this morning Miss Underwood?" Thorin asked. 

"Fine," was all Addy could think of to say. She hadn't realized how much her opinion of the gruff Dwarf had changed over night. Before she would have replied with some snarky retort explaining how exhausted she was and how it had been all his fault for allowing her to sleep the day away. Now she found herself short of words in the grand Dwarfs presence. 

"Shall you be accompanying me on my pony again today? He asked of her.

"Well Fili and Kili asked if I would ride with them today and I agreed." Addy lied, she figured they wouldn't mind anyways.

"Oh I see." Said Thorin curtly before he strode off. Could she ever do anything right? Addy questioned herself as she began packing up for the long day ahead. She then decided that she should probably ask permission from the brothers so she wouldn't end up walking the rest of the day. 

"Hi Fili, Hi Kili." She said cordially. "Would you mind if I rode with you two today?"

"Of course not!" Ensured Kili.

"You can ride with me first, then after lunch you shall ride with Kili." Fili said while gesturing towards his brother. 

"Or you could ride with ME first and then with Fili after lunch." Kili interjected with a mischievous grin upon his face.

"You wouldn't want to do that Miss Underwood, for I am the better rider." Fili boasted, clearly puffing out his chest.

"Oh no you're not!" Yelled Kili as he tackled his brother to the ground. The pair wrestled for a bit until Fili finally won.

"And that little brother is how it is done." Fili said ending the argument. It would seem she was to ride with Fili then.

After a day full of bickering and uncomfortable riding Addy quickly realized her mistake in having rejected Thorin's offer. By the time they made camp Addy could barely keep her eyes open. Even so, Addy still offered to help Bombur in preparing dinner. Feeling the stew was missing a certain something Addy went in search of some herbs. While on her way she ran into an annoyed Gandalf and an even more irritated Thorin. Not wanting to inconvenience them Addy simply smiled their way and kept on walking. Thankfully Addy was able to find some sage and rosemary without having to look too far. Feeling triumphant in her findings she began the trek back to camp. By the time she arrived the sun had set and there wasn't a Dwarf or Hobbit to be found. Addy decided to venture back into the woods in hopes of finding them. That's when she heard their voices. They were yelling in protest of something. Following the noises Addy quickly came upon a most peculiar scene. Three giants stood around a camp fire while what seemed to be half of her companions roasted on a pit. The rest of the company was awaiting their turn on the ground, each wrapped in a burlap sack. Bilbo was the only one standing.

"You skin them first!" Bilbo exclaimed cheerfully.

What on earth was going on here? Obviously these giants were trying to eat her friends but why was Bilbo helping them? Without a minute to spare Addy sprinted back to the camp, ignoring the searing pain shooting through her ankle, hoping to have concocted some sort of a plan by the time she got there. Once back Addy grabbed Gloin's tinderbox and her leather bedroll. It was a shot in the dark but maybe it would buy them some time until Gandalf returned.

Addy began building a fire frantically just outside of the odd scene. Once she had it started she stood in front of the flames on her tiptoes trying to appear as large as possible. It seemed to work since a giant shadow appeared behind the fire. Leaving that trick for later Addy then hurriedly began rolling the bedroll into a cone shape. Using the most menacing voice she could muster she began speaking into the cone.

"You dare to take these souls from me?" She said in hopes of confusing the giants.

"What was that?!" One of them cried.

"I don't know you dimwit!" Another said cruelly to his companion.

"Well obviously whatever it is thinks it has some sort of claim on these here Dwarves." Said the third giant.

"I am the protector of the forest and these men have tarnished my woods by cutting down a tree to start a fire!" She boomed. "I am here to collect their souls in recompense!"

"I ain't ever heard of no protector of the forest." Said one of them.

"Me neither." Agreed another.

Feeling that she was quickly losing their attention she decided to take another course.

"How dare you question me!" She screamed as loudly as possible while stepping in front of the fire. Just then a huge shadow appeared in the camp giving them the illusion that she was at least twice the size of the giants in front of her. This startled them so that they all fell to the ground trying to crawl away from the menacing shadow before them. Glad to finally have their undivided attention Addy went on in hopes of scaring them a little more.

"I see you have started a fire as well! Maybe I shall claim your souls along with the Dwarves!"

"Oh no! We didn't mean nothing by it! We was just hungry that's all!" Cried one of them.

"Please don't take our souls! We didn't cut down any trees we swear!" Cried another.

"We promise we won't ever make another fire here again!" Said the last of the trio.

"As long as you leave these here Dwarves to me you are free to go. Remove them from the spit and be on your way!" She roared. She wasn't going to have a voice tomorrow that was for sure. One of the giants quickly removed the Dwarves from the fire spit before the trio ran away as fast as their massive bodies would allow, clumsily knocking each other over as they fled. 

After having waited a few moments to make sure the giants wouldn't return Addy made her way over to the Dwarves, who were already cutting themselves loose. Having not realized it had been Addy the whole time they had recovered their weapons and prepared to fight whatever the 'protector of the forest' actually was. When Addy finally emerged she had to duck to avoid an arrow coming her way thanks to Kili.

"Woah! It's just me!" She cried out in surprise.

"Where is this so called 'protector of the forest'?" Dwalin asked with skepticism in his eyes.

"Oh, that was me." She said sheepishly in response.

"What in the name of Durin do you mean by this?" Thorin growled.

"You are the 'protector of the forest'?" Balin asked uncertainly.

Addy laughed at that. "Of course not!" She said stifling a giggle. "After having returned from looking for spices to find you all gone I went in search of you, once I found you and realized what was going on I ran back to camp to grab the tinderbox and my bed roll. I wrapped the bed roll into a cone to make my voice louder and built a fire to make myself appear much larger than I actually am." She explained as if it were all common sense.

"You did all of this to save us?" Thorin asked incredulously.

"Of course I did! I don't even know what I would have done had you all actually been eaten." She said truthfully. With that all the dwarves burst out laughing. Apparently what she had said had been quite amusing. After having composed themselves they all began clapping her on the back and thanking her.

"That was quite a stunt you pulled there dearie." Said Dwalin.

"Quite a stunt indeed." Said Balin smiling at her.

"We are most in your debt, Lady Underwood." Said Thorin with amusement in his eyes. "On behalf of The Company of Thorin Oakenshield we thank you." He boomed while bowing. Suddenly all the other Dwarves followed suite and Addy began blushing with embarrassment.

"Oh it was nothing." She reassured.

"I'm going to write you a song!" Claimed Bofur. "It will be about a brave lassie that saved the King under the Mountain merely with fire and a bed roll." He exclaimed.

"Why thank you Bofur." Addy said while smiling at the kind dwarf.

With that Gandalf came into the clearing, the wizard looked around excitedly at the group.

"I have just come across a band of trolls! They just happen to turn to stone right as I came upon them!" Said Gandalf. None had noticed that the sun had actually risen. So they were trolls, that made much more sense come to think of it. They smelled atrocious, even from where Addy had been standing.

"Yes we know, we almost became their dinner, but thanks to Miss Underwood's quick wit we have survived unscathed." Replied Throin.

"You will have to tell me about it later. We need to find their hoard. Trolls are well-known for stockpiling lost treasures." Gandalf told them. It was then that the group banded together in search of the troll hoard. Addy had no idea what to be looking for so she didn't really stress over helping too much. Thorin and Gandalf led the hunt. It was the smell that hit them first. Addy had to hold her nose to keep herself from barfing all over everyone. It smelled like a million diapers had been left out in the sun during the hottest month of summer, then were all thrown into the same dumpster. It was horrendous to say the least. After having followed the smell for quite some time the band eventually happened upon a cave.

"This must be it!" Said Gandalf enthusiastically.

"I think my nose is broken." Addy said.

"Ah yes, Trolls are terribly filthy creatures. I believe it to be some sort of defense mechanism." Said Gandalf while venturing inside.

"Fili! Kili! Keep watch over Miss Underwood as we take a look inside." Thorin yelled behind him. The pair nodded in reassurance and then flanked Addy.

Feeling far too overprotected Addy began walking towards the mouth of the cave. Why should she miss out on all of the treasures? As she entered she quickly began to regret her decision. The smell hit her like a punch to the gut, her eyes began to sting and she almost turned around. It was while she had been doubled over attempting to catch her breath that she caught sight of it. On the ground just below her foot was a beautiful ring. Something about it called out to her. Addy quickly bent down to retrieve it hoping no to attract any attention. Upon seeing this Kili thought Addy to be in distress; being the younger and more impulsive of the two he overreacted and threw her over his shoulder to carry her outside.

"What the HELL?!" Was her reaction. "Let go of me! You're squashing my ribs!" Addy cried out in pain. Kili gingerly set her down on the ground after hearing her protests.

"You looked to be in distress so I thought I ought to bring you outside for some fresh air." Kili said shamefacedly.

"I appreciate the concern but my body does not seem to agree." Addy said while trying to catch her breath. Thorin then came running out of the cave having heard all of the commotion.

"What have you done?" He yelled at Kili upon seeing Addy on the ground, holding her ribs in pain. Kili began bumbling trying to find the words to explain when Addy interjected.

"Don't be angry with him, he only meant to help. He must not have known about my broken ribs." She said while attempting to get up. Kili attempted to help her but decided otherwise after Thorin shot him a disapproving look. Thorin swiftly came to her aid and helped her rise.

"I found these swords for you in the cave." He said while handing a pair of twin blades to her. "They are lightweight and just the right length for you it seems." He said reassuringly. Shocked by the sudden act of kindness Addy felt dumbfounded and didn't know what to say in return.

"Thank you." Was all she managed to choke out. With that Thorin nodded curtly and went back into the cave to find Gandalf.

It was then that they all heard a great deal of rustling coming from somewhere in the woods. Not knowing which direction it was coming from Addy jumped up and began searching for the source. Thorin came running out of the cave ordering the band to close ranks. Addy was hastily pushed to the middle for protection. For the love of God when were they going to stop treating her like a child? Addy thought while unsheathing her swords. After a few moments of confusion a man on a sled being pulled by rabbits appeared out of nowhere. The group stayed huddled until Gandalf began laughing.

"Radagast the Brown!" I have not seen you for quite some time my old friend!" Gandalf said cheerfully.

"Gandalf! I was hoping to find you! I have some important information for you." Radagast said in haste. After a moment of silence passed Gandalf inquired. 

"And what might that information be?"

"Oh I just had it on the tip of my tongue!" Said Radagast in a state of confusion. "Oh never mind, it is merely a silly old stick insect." Said the brown wizard as he pulled the aforementioned bug from his mouth.

After having witnessed that odd moment Addy realized that she was excruciatingly thirsty and went in search of some water. She had only been gone for a few minutes when she heard a deep growl come from behind. Upon turning around Addy saw one of the great big wolves her and Thorin had fought when they had first met. In a state of shock Addy swiftly unsheathed her swords and took a defensive stance. The wolf began inching closer. Addy knew she didn't have a chance, the wolf was standing on a great boulder, all it needed to do is lunge towards her and she would be finished. As if having read her mind the wolf suddenly lunged at her. Addy stabbed at the wolf hoping to inflict some sort of damage on the creature. The wolf landed on her sword but still managed to clamp its teeth down on her arm, which she had put up defensively. Addy screamed out in agony as the wolf shook her around like a rag doll. At that moment the Dwarves appeared and began killing the giant beast that was still on top of her. Oin then knelt down next to her to slowly remove the dead beast's teeth from her arm.

"I'm afraid the arms broken and she's losing a great deal of blood." Said Oin to Thorin.

"How in Durin's name did Warg scouts find us?" Thorin boomed.

"Who did you tell beyond your kin of your quest?" Gandalf demanded of the dwarf king.

"No one I swear!" Thorin roared back.

"Where are the ponies? We must be on our way if we are to find Miss Underwood help in time." Gandalf said firmly.

"We have no ponies!" Cried Ori having just returned from their camp.

"I'll draw them off." Said Radagast to Gandalf.

"These are Gundobad Wargs - they will run you down!" Replied Gandalf brusquely.

"These are Rhosgobel rabbits! I'd like to see them try!" Said the brown wizard with an air of confidence.

"Very well." Said Gandalf in reply.

With that Gandalf swooped up Addy as they all began to run. Addy tried her best to keep from screaming with every movement Gandalf made. Oin had made a tourniquet in hopes of slowing down the bleeding, however she could still feel the blood gushing from her wound, leaving her cold and disoriented. The band ran from boulder to boulder just long enough to keep cover from the Orc pack that was now chasing after Radagast. Not knowing where they were going Thorin kept the pace brisk hoping to find some way to safety. He had seen the damage done to Addy's arm, she needed medical attention now if she was to live. Angered at himself for letting her go off without protection Thorin felt responsible for her wounds. While waiting to run to the next boulder Thorin turned to see an Orc atop a Warg inching towards them. Thorin gave Kili a signal to shoot them with his bow. He managed to shoot the warg in the leg; they slowly tumbled off the boulder to the ground where the rest of the dwarves quickly encircled the pair and killed them. The Orc let out a loud cry right before Thorin embedded his blade deep in its head. This alerted the rest of the pack who quickly forgot about Radagast and began chasing after the Dwarves instead. Looking around Dwalin realized that Gandalf and Addy had disappeared.

"We're surrounded!" Cried Ori.

"Stand your ground!" Thorin commanded.

"Where has Gandalf gone?" Asked Thorin.

"He has abandoned us!" Dwalin replied angrily. It was then that the grey wizard appeared from behind a rock.

"This way you fools!" He cried.

The Dwarves ran to the wizard not knowing where he was leading them. There was a small opening in the ground where Gandalf proceeded to slide down with Addy engulfed in his arms. Thorin stood at the opening waiting for all of his men to make it to safety. It was Kili that stood alone shooting his bow and arrow at the pack. Thorin yelled at his nephew to come along. After shooting one last arrow Kili slid down into the cave shortly followed by Thorin. It was then that they heard the battle horn of the Elves. Not wishing to waste any more time Dwalin went in search of a way out.

"Are we to follow this pathway?" He asked of the wizard.

"Yes." Was his reply as he handed Addy off to Thorin. Gandalf went to the front of the procession to lead them into the unknown.


End file.
